Russia modernizes “Shakhty” using foreign components and increases its range to 2500 km - GUR
Kyiv • UNN
The DIU has identified significant changes in the production of Russian attack UAVs using foreign components. It also indicates that Russia is setting up production of a Shahed-238 analog with a new engine and modifying the Shahed-136.
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine has recorded a number of changes that the enemy is implementing in the production of Shaheds and other attack UAVs.
Transmits to UNN with reference to the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.
Since the beginning of 2025, a number of significant changes have been detected in the attack drones of the invaders, which are being implemented, among other things, through the use of foreign components.
Another set of data on foreign components in Russian weapons has been published on the War&Sanctions portal.
The following is known about changes in the UAVs of the Russian Armed Forces:
Russia is setting up production of an analog of the Shahed-238 jet, the Geryan-3, with a small-sized turbojet twin-circuit engine Tolou-10/13. It is said to have a flight speed of 550-600 km/h and a range of 2,500 km.
Since the beginning of 2025, a number of significant changes in the structure of the Shahed-136 (“Geranium-2”, “Harpy”) have been recorded. We are talking about a new type of warhead weighing 90 kg; the flight controller, power distribution unit, and battery pack were moved from the nose to the tail; and additional ballast was added to the UAV design.
Significant fact: a sticker with the marking in Chinese and English “Agricultural equipment parts”, made in 2024, was found on the interference-protected 8-channel CRP satellite navigation antenna. However, the DIU experts note that the manufacturing method and color of the antenna body are similar to other components and assemblies of the “Shahed” series “Y” manufactured in Iran and Russia.
It is likely that the found sticker was used to mislead about the real origin and purpose of the CRP antenna.
The report also says that Russia is increasingly using Chinese-made products as an alternative to components from the US, EU, and other countries.
In the 8-channel antenna mentioned above, which appears in the latest versions of Shahed-136, a critical component has been changed - the XILINX Kintex-7 programmable logic integrated circuit made in the USA. Instead, an integrated circuit manufactured by Beijing Microelectronics Technology, China, was installed .
On the topic of antennas, it is also said that in addition to the 8-channel Comet M8 antennas, new Russian 12-channel Comet CRP antennas are also used in the production of enemy attack drones.
The DIU also reported that a new series of UAVs has been introduced in the production of UAVs in Russia - “Ъ” (in addition to “Y”); UAVs produced at the Kupol Electromechanical Plant (Izhevsk) received a new series “KC” in addition to the previous “K” and “KB”.
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